The Evening Star THURSDAY. JULY 15, 1943. THE RETURNED MEN.

Evening Star, Issue 24917, 15 July 1943, Page 4

The Evening Star THURSDAY. JULY 15, 1943. THE RETURNED MEN.

It was a thoughtfully-worded resolution that the Oamaru Returned Servicemen's Association unanimously passed at its meeting on Tuesday night. The substance of it was that members of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force at present on furlough from the Middle East should be given the opportunity of taking positions \(in or out of the Army) at present held by category A men, who would thus be released for service overseas. The 'words "in or out of the Army " and . " should be given the opportunity" are of the utmost significance in dealing with any situation that may arise between now and the time fixed for the re-embarka-tion of these men for overseas. A very widely-held opinion will be that every effort should be made to keep within the dominion any returned men of these first three echelons who desire either to fill home defence positions or to replace fit civilians, many of them ■with lesser domestic _ responsibilities, whose work in essential industries is not so highly technical as to demand a long period of specialised training. Some weeks ago we commented editorially on this particular point, with empha'sis on the fact that single men are still being held in civilian occupations while large numbers of married men are being drafted out of the country on active service. The whole position appears to be one that could with advantage be taken up by the reorganised man power appeal boards under direction from the Government.

At the Oaniaru meeting of the R.S.A. Captain McMurtrio, a returned soldier of the present war, remarked that the men at present on furlough might not want to remain in the country. But this is a matter on which only the individual concerned can express an opinion. No one can speak on behalf or the many hundreds who have temporarily come back. In any case, such a contingency is provided for in the resolution by insertion of those words " should be given an opportunity." Whether or not they were wounded or suffered from sicknessi ■while on active service, soldiers who have been away for approximately three years (in most cases) will be feeling a strain which among the civilians only veterans of the last war will properly understand. While it is true that the first N.Z.E.F. suffered much more heavily in casualties than the troops from the Middle East, they enjoyed hospital and furlough facilities in surroundings—the wonderful British Isles —practically the same as in their own country. New Zealand's Second Echelon did visit Britain, but only under most stressful conditions.

Apart from their distinguished service in the actual fighting, the men just back have long endured desert hardships which now merit the reward of retention in New Zealand if that is their own personal wish and if fit men can be found—as they undoubtedly can —to replace them. Their experience need not be wasted. Many of them would be of the greatest use as instructors, and, in point of fact, are likely to be better than home-based instructors who have not yet bad their baptism of fire. There is only one point in the Oamaru resolution with which we cannot entirely agree. It is advocated that in-affording an opportunity to stay at home preference should be given to married men. This is a natural enough pica, hut at the same .time it must not be forgotten that many of the single men who, have been away three years or so have sacrificed some of the most vital years of their lives—years in'which they would otherwise have been laying the foundation of their future careers. They, too, are entitled to every consideration.